Pile articles are conventionally assembled by winding fibers about a moving band or mandrel, such as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,148,953, 4,302,494, 6,252,757, 5,472,762, and International Application Publication No. WO 96/06965, and then attaching the resulting fiber loops to backing structures (e.g., substrates, strips, or strands) at positions along the such fiber loops, such that by slitting or cutting the fiber loops multiple pile articles are provided each one attached to a one of the backing structures. Typically, attachment to backing structures is by ultrasonic welding, pressure bonding, or adhesive, or a combination thereof.
Often backing structures used in pile articles for weatherstripping have been made of rigid strips of plastic material, such as polypropylene, as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,148,953, 4,242,392, and 4,302,498. As a result, such backing structures have limited flexibility, and melting temperatures too low for high temperature environments. Moreover, pile articles with plastic backing structures are not readily useful in applications requiring sewing or stitching of the pile article to fabric materials. Thus, it would be desirable to provide a pile article with a backing structure composed of textile material which will improve flexibility of the pile article and provides a high temperature melting point.
Pile articles have been developed utilizing textile backing structures or strips, as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,002,253, 3,175,256, 3,836,421, and Re. 31,303. However, these backing structures do not attach to the pile in a manner to provide improved flexibility by conforming a textile backing member to a portion of the end and sides of pile to maintain the pile substantially upright.